SB 


V ocational  Guidance 


IN 


HARTFORD,  CONN. 


Report  of  the  General  Committee 


AND 


Vocational  Counsellor 


1911-1913 


REPORT 


OF  THE 

Vocational  Guidance  Committee 

HARTFORD,  CONN. 


JANUARY,  1914 


GENERAL  COMMITTEE. 


Oscar  A.  Phelps,  Chairman 


Dotha  B.  Hillyer 


Wilbur  F.  Gordy 
Thomas  S.  Weaver 
James  J.  Peard 
John  L.  Purcell 


A.  A.  Welch 
Catherine  M.  Tinker 
William  C.  Holden 
Mary  C.  Welles,  Secretary 
Rockwell  H.  Potter 
John  F.  Ryan 
Elizabeth  J.  Cairns 
Solon  P.  Davis 
Charles  L.  Ames 


EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 

Wilbur  F.  Gordy,  Chairman 
Mary  C.  Welles,  Secretary 
Dotha  B.  Hillyer 
Solon  P.  Davis 
Thomas  S Weaver 
William  C.  Holden 


VOCATIONAL  COUNSELLOR. 


Lillian  L.  Kane 


VOCATIONAL  GUIDANCE  IN  HARTFORD 


The  Hartford  Vocational  Guidance  Committee,  in- 
cluding representatives  of  the  public  school  associations 
and  various  other  social  agencies  in  the  city  (1),  was 
formed  in  November,  1911.  The  purpose  of  this  com- 
mittee was  to  make  an  intensive  study  of  the  conditions 
surrounding  the  fourteen  to  sixteen  year  old  worker. 
Although  in  a large  way  these  immature,  half-educated 
children  were  supervised  by  legislation,  no  effort  had  been 
made  to  consider  their  individual  needs  or  to  formulate 
a constructive  program  of  readjustment  for  those  insti- 
tutions that  specially  affected  their  interests. 

In  Connecticut  during  1911-12,  11,978  children  be- 
tween the  ages  of  14  and  16  were  granted  employment 
certificates:  1,163  of  these  certificates  were  granted  to 
children  in  Hartford.  (2) 

In  September,  1911,  the  interests  of  workers  under 
sixteen  were  cared  for  by  two  laws,  one  prohibiting  cer- 
tain dangerous  occupations  and  the  other  requiring  the 
certification  of  employed  children.  The  latter  statute, 
enforced  by  the  State JBoard  of  Education,  required  docu- 
mentary evidence  of  age,  a mathematical  test  (fractions 
and  decimals),  and  evidence  of  good  health  before  the 
issuing  of  a certificate.  The  taking  up  and  termination 
of  employment  by  a minor  under  sixteen  was  to  be  re- 
corded at  the  State  Board  by  employer. 

I.  The  first  step  in  this  study  was  the  investi- 
gation of  the  local  industries  employing  children  under 
sixteen,  the  primary  purpose  of  which  was  to  define 
exactly  the  work  done  by  these  children  and  to  form  a 


(1)  Board  of  School  Visitors,  Principals*  Club,  High  School  Commit- 
tee, Civic  Club,  Juvenile  Commission  and  Consumers*  League,  the  last  or- 
ganization having  initiated  the  work  in  Hartford. 

(2)  Records  of  the  State  Board  of  Education  do  not  define  how  many 
of  these  certificates  were  given  out  for  work  outside  of  school  hours. 


fairly  accurate  estimate  of  its  contribution  to  their  physi- 
cal, mental  and  moral  well-being.  No  effort  was  made 
to  study  the  larger  industries  as  a whole,  i.  e.,  in  relation 
to  the  older  workers.  (1) 

The  data  which  was  obtained  in  this  investigation 
was  as  follows:  The  number  of  children  working;  the 

physical  conditions  under  which  they  work ; the  processes 
of  work;  study  of  the  particular  kind  of  skill  required 
in  each  process ; health  strain  of  the  process  on  the 
worker;  position  of  the  worker;  wages;  prospects  of  ad- 
vancement for  the  worker  entering  at  14;  seasonal  con- 
ditions of  the  industry ; the  hours  of  employment ; over- 
time and  its  remuneration ; vacation  and  conditions  under 
which  it  is  given;  educational  and  welfare  work  already 
carried  on  and  a special  study  of  its  possibilities  in  the 
future. 

This  study  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  average  indus- 
trial opportunity  in  Hartford  open  to  children  under  16 
has  practically  no  educational  value  beyond  the  discipline 
imposed  by  any  mechanical  task.  (2)  The  skilled  trades 
are  almost  entirely  closed  to  a child  of  that  age.  There 
are  a few  boys  doing  odd  jobs  in  the  printing  and  electri- 
cal shops.  Rarely  one  finds  a boy  of  this  age  helping  in 
the  drafting,  tool-making,  machine  and  pattern-making 
rooms.  The  same  is  true  for  the  girls  in  dressmaking, 
millinery,  and  domestic  service.  Although  some  conserv- 
ative employers  say  that  the  apprentice  system  is  still 
in  existence,  it  positively  does  not  exist  in  the  educational 
sense  of  “apprenticeship”  for  children  under  16. 

The  majority  of  these  children  are  taking  up  un- 
skilled odd  jobs  in  factories  and  stores.  In  the  metal  fac- 
tories, which  as  a group  employ  more  children  than  any 
other  type  of  factory  in  the  city,  the  younger  workers 


(1)  A beginning  has  been  made  in  studying  the  trades  open  to  minors 
over  sixteen.  The  printing  trade  was  completed.  It  is  hoped  that  this 
study  for  the  other  trades  may  be  continued  to  completion  when  there  are 
more  workers  in  the  field. 

(2)  This  report  in  outline  form  appeared  in  the  Report  of  the  Hartford 
Juvenile  Commission,  June,  1912. 


S 


4 


do  errand  and  truck  work,  stock  boxing,  odd  jobs  about 
the  office,  clerical  work  (rare),  inspecting,  assorting,  as- 
sembling, light  grinding,  polishing,  feed  automatic  ma- 
chines, drilling,  testing  (chains),  foot-press  work,  wiring, 
unwiring,  transferring,  cutting  out  transfers  and  clean- 
ing  type  in  typewriter  factories. 

A few  children  are  scattered  through  the  following 
factories : Girls  do  filling  and  cutting  in  a gold-leaf 

factory.  One  leather-goods  factory  employs  a few  boys 
and  girls  in  such  jobs  as  errand  work,  opening  boxes, 
cleaning  up,  snipping  threads  and  strapping  bits  in  bridles. 
There  is  the  inevitable  yeast-cake  shop  employing  a num- 
ber of  girls  wrapping  yeast-cakes.  Three  small  shirt- 
waist factories  employ  a number  of  girls  carrying  ma- 
terials to  the  workers,  ironing,  folding,  putting  on  buttons, 
cutting  off  lengths,  and  snipping  seams.  The  tobacco 
shops  employ  a few  children  during  the  winter  shaking 
out  bunches,  flattening  and  measuring  leaves.  In  the 
summer,  when  the  tobacco  crop  is  full-grown,  many 
children  are  at  work  out  in  the  fields  stringing  the  leaves. 
In  the  rag  shops  some  foreign  children  pick  over  the  rags. 

The  department  stores  and  some  smaller  retail  stores 
employ  a large  number  of  children,  chiefly  girls.  The 
street  trade  recruiting  the  majority  of  the  boys,  is  the 
messenger  service. 

The  exact  distribution  in  per  cents  of  the  employed 
children  between  14-  and  16  in  Hartford  in  1911-12  was 


as  follows: 

Factory  54% 

Department  stores  22% 

Small  retail  stores  . 9%  (1) 

Street  trades 6% 

Skilled  trades 5%  (2) 

Miscellaneous  occupations  4% 


Total  100% 


(1)  Grocery,  drug,  shoe,  jewelry,  hardware,  clothing. 

(2)  Dressmaking,  millinery,  electrical  work,  plumbing  and  printing. 


5 


II.  The  second  step  in  this  study  was  the  investiga- 
tion of  the  local  social  and  educational  organizations  that 
offer  training  to  assist  working  minors. 

At  the  time  of  this  study  the  only  educational  op- 
portunity for  an  employed  minor  was  the  night  school. 
(1)  Investigation  proved  that  comparatively  few  work- 
ing children  under  sixteen  had  made  use  of  this  oppor- 
tunity. (2)  The  average  child  of  this  age  does  not  on 
his  own  initiative  care  to  undertake  any  form  of  serious 
study  in  the  evening.  Therefore,  it  is  with  perfect  jus- 
tice to  the  situation  discovered  in  Hartford  that  advanced 
educational  thought  practically  prohibits  the  night  school 
under  sixteen  and  even  eighteen  years  of  age,  because  of 
physical  and  mental  fatigue. 

The  best  solution  of  the  problem  of  the  working 
child  under  sixteen  is  the  part-time  continuation  school. 
Under  such  a system  a child  is  allowed  to  work  in  the 
shop,  receiving  full  pay,  and  attend  a school  specially 
suited  to  his  needs  a certain  number  of  hours  a week  for 
a certain  period  of  time. 

Since  the  time  of  this  study,  the  development  in 
Hartford  of  an  interest  in  this  approved  form  of  educa- 
tion has  been  perceptible.  Under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
William  C.  Holden  at  the  High  School  a “Continuation 
School  for  Machinist  Apprentices  and  Helpers”  has  been 
started.  A prospectus  for  a proposed  “Continuation 
School  for  Employed  Girls”  has  just  been  issued  under 
the  same  auspices.  (3)  The  Board  of  School  Visitors 
has  already  under  consideration  a school  for  salesman- 
ship with  the  approval  of  the  merchants  of  the  city.  (4) 


(1)  One  boys’  club,  the  Christian  Associations  and  the  public  even- 
ing schools  are  doing  the  most  pretentious  educational  work  along  this 
line  in  the  city. 

(2)  In  the  Public  Evening  School  in  January  in  the  trade  and  aca- 
demic classes  (6th  to  9th  grade)  only  8%  of  the  average  attendance  of 
pupils  at  that  time  were  under,  sixteen.  The  teachers  stated  that  children 
of  this  age  seldom  kept  up  their  attendance  through  the  year. 

(3)  This  school  will  draw  girls  from  the  unskilled  industries.  The 
instruction  is  to  include  domestic  science  and  cultural  work. 

(4)  Reference  to  page  4 statistical  table  will  show  that  the  develop- 
ment of  this  experimental  system  of  continuation  schools  is  directly  in  line 
with  the  more  pressing  needs  of  the  situation. 


6 


S 


The  various  social  service  organizations  in  the  city 
offering  forms  of  recreation  to  working  children  are 
effective  only  to  small  local  groups.  Among  the  two  hun- 
dred children  with  whom  the  vocational  worker  has  come 
intimately  in  contact  there  are  only  four  isolated  cases 
(1)  wherein  the  child  had  on  his  own  initiative  associated 
himself  with  some  form  of  evening  recreation  offered  by 
social  service  organizations  in  the  city.  Eight  of  the 
organizations  have  thriving  clubs  for  working  minors. 
Children  who  have  just  withdrawn  from  school  have 
probably  not  felt  the  need  of  special  recreation  as  keenly 
as  the  working  child.  Doubtless  many  of  them  would 
attend  these  clubs,  if  they  were  aware  of  the  work  done 
there.  It  may  be  hoped  that  the  vocational  worker  will 
guide  constantly  increasing  numbers  of  employed  children 
to  these  places  of  recreation. 

III.  The  third  step  in  this  study  was  an  investi- 
gation of  the  conditions  under  which  the  children  between 
fourteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age  leave  school. 

1.  Conference  with  child  as  he  leaves  school. 

(1)  Vocational  worker  meets  the  child. 

(2)  Principal  meets  the  child  and  an  investiga- 

tion by  vocational  worker  follows  im- 
mediately afterwards. 

2.  Collection  of  school  data. 

3.  Visit  to  the  home. 

4.  Follow-up  visits  extending  over  a period  of  at 
least  a year. 

This  work  with  the  children  has  extended  over  a 
period  of  thirteen  months.  Children  have  been  met  from 
Districts  A,  B and  C.  (2)  A group  of  cases  of  children 
dropped  from  the  High  School  January,  1912,  has  been 
studied.  A number  of  irregular  cases  have  come  to  the 


(1)  Three  of  these  cases  have  been  associated  with  the  special  social 
service  organizations  since  early  childhood. 

(2)  District  A : 8,932  children  of  school  age,  chiefly  American. 

District  B : 2,645  children  of  school  age,  chiefly  Foreign. 

District  C : 2,455  children  of  school  age,  chiefly  Foreign. 


7 


vocational  worker,  the  children  having  been  sent  by  in- 
dividuals and  social  service  organizations. 

494  cases  have  been  recorded. 

164  cases  of  supervision,  requiring  but  one  visit  or 
interview. 

173  cases  of  intensive  work,  demanding  from  two 
(minimum)  to  ten  (maximum)  visits.  (1) 

157  transcripts  from  the  school  records. 

GROUP  STUDY  OF  CHILDREN  LEAVING 
SCHOOL  TO  ENTER  INDUSTRY 

A — Educational  Study. 

Group  1.  286  cases  Districts  A and  B. 

185  cases  District  A. 

101  cases  District  B. 
a — Sex  and  District. 

District  A.  District  B. 


No. 

% 

No. 

% 

Boys 

122 

65.0 

50 

50.5 

Girls 

63 

35.0 

51 

49.5 

Total 

185 

100.0 

101 

100.0 

b — Grade 

finished  and 

age 

at  leaving  school. 

District  A. 

3rd  4th 

5th 

6th 

7th  8th 

9th 

grade  grade 

grade  grade 

grade  grade 

grade  Total 

14 

years 

1 

5 

42 

27  9 

3 

87 

15 

years 

8 

15 

12  11 

2 

48 

16 

years 

1 1 

5 

5 

3 2 

17 

17 

years 

1 

3 3 

7 

18 

years 

1 

1 

Total 

1 2 

18 

64 

45  25 

5 

160 

25  cases  omitted. 


(1)  Although  this  preliminary  work  with  the  children  had  as  its  pri- 
mary purpose  the  study  of  the  actual  conditions  surrounding  the  child 
who  leaves  school  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  sixteen,  efforts  were 
made  in  each  case  of  intensive  work  to  give  to  the  child  some  information 
or  assistance  that  would  guide  him  in  his  first  step  out  into  industry  and 
to  provide  supervision  for  him  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  to  sixteen. 
From  the  information  obtained  in  these  three  sections  of  the  study,  a 
suggestive  program  of  work  has  been  developed,  which  may  tend  to  solve 
the  original  problem. 


8 


/ 


District  B. 


14  years 

15  years 

16  years 

17  years 

Total 


3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th 

grade  grade  grade  grade  grade  grade  grade  Total 
9 20  19  8 3 59 

5 7 7 4 2 25 

5 1111 

1 1 

5 16  29  27  13  5 9 


6 cases  omitted, 
c — Scholarship. 

Of  the  286  cases,  146  were  selected  and  analyzed  to  de- 
termine the  average  scholarship.  Yearly  records  from  fourth 
grade  on  were  considered  and  rated  on  a scale  of  6. 


1-3 

is  good. 

3-4 

is  passable. 

4-6 

is  unsatisfactory. 

No. 

Per  Cent. 

1-3 

23 

16 

3-4 

39 

26 

4-6 

84 

58 

Total 

146 

100% 

CO-ORDINATION  OF  GROUPS  ACCORDING  TO 
LENGTH  OF  TIME  IN  INDUSTRY 


B — Vocational  Study. 

Group  II.  Thirty  children  from  Districts  B and  C. 

1.  Enumeration. 

11  boys,  19  girls;  Total,  30. 

32%  from  District  B. 

68%  from  District  C. 

2.  Nativity. 

f 7 in  Russia. 

11  Foreign-born -{3  in  Italy. 

19  American.  [ 1 in  Austria. 

3.  Scope  of  work. 

All  original  and  follow-up  cases.  (1) 

4.  Result  of  Vocational  Conference. 


[ 9 factory. 

10  returned  to  school.  | 5 dept,  store. 

20  entered  industry ^3  retail  store. 

Direct  placement  cases,  5.  | 2 home. 

[ 1 fields. 


(1)  This  group  of  children  had  been  out  in  industry  on  an  average 
• of  one  year  and  one  month  by  the  time  of  the  last  follow-up  visit,  May 
11,  1913. 


9 


05  <M  in 


5.  Age  at  the  time  of  the  first  conference. 

1 under  fourteen. 

20  under  sixteen. 

9 over  sixteen. 

6.  Reason  for  leaving  school. 

a.  Economic  pressure,  13. 

b.  In  poor  circumstances  and  backward,  4. 

c.  Disliked  school,  13. 

7.  Shift. 

Of  10  returned  to  school,  8 left  later. 

Of  20  entering  industry,  2 have  returned  to  school 
and  are  working  part-time. 

Therefore:  2 are  in  school,  2 are  in  school  and  work- 

ing outside. 

Of  the  26  in  industry  9 have  retained  their  original 
positions. 

a.  2 are  in  the  home  working. 

b.  2 have  been  promoted. 

c.  4 have  not  changed  positions  or  been  promoted. 

d.  1 has  not  changed  position  or  received  an  increase 

in  wage. 

2 are  omitted  from  complete  follow-up  record,  (l) 

5 have  shifted  once. 

7 have  shifted  twice. 

2 have  shifted  three  times.  (2) 

1 has  shifted  four  times.  (3) 

e.  15  children  have  shifted  29  times. 

8.  Weekly  wage. 

(1)  Two  promoted.  Average  increase,  $2.25.  (4) 
Average  wage  after  increase,  $5.75. 

(2)  Four  who  have  not  changed  positions  or  been 

promoted.  Average  increase,  $1.50. 

Average  wage  after  increase,  $6.00. 

(3)  Fifteen  children  who  have  shifted.  Average  de- 

crease, $2.45. 

Average  wage  after  decrease,  $3.25. 

(Only  two  cases  of  decreasing  wage  with  shift.)  (5) 
Average  increase,  $2.44. 

Average  wage  after  increase,  $6.30. 

(13  cases  of  increasing  wage  with  shift.) 


(1)  When  they  left  school  the  second  time  they  were  considerably 
over  16. 

(2)  Shiftless,  lazy  and  unambitious. 

(3)  Delinquent. 

# (4)  In  measuring  decrease  and  increase  in  wage,  the  wage  in  last 
position  is  compared  with  wage  in  first  position. 

(5)  One  decrease  was  due  to  shift  from  factory  to  steadier  but  lower 
wage  in  department  store.  The  other  decrease  was  due  to  shift  from  field 
work,  highly  paid  but  temporary,  to  steadier  work  in  department  store. 


10 


/ 


♦ 


9. 

Group 

1. 


2. 


3. 


4. 


5. 


6. 


7. 


Cases  of  non-employment. 

4 cases,  1 reported. 

III.  Fifty  children  from  Districts  A and  B. 
Enumeration. 

32  boys,  18  girls;  Total,  50. 

22%  from  District  A. 

78%  from  District  B. 

Nativity.  " 


16  Foreign-born 
34  American. 


\ Russia,  7. 

| Italy,  6. 

] Roumania,  1. 

England,  1. 
t Sweden,  1. 


Scope  of  work. 

This  group  of  children  was  studied  after  the  chil- 
dren had  left  school  and  had  gone  to  work.  By 
June  1st,  when  last  follow-up  visit  was  made,  this 
group  had  been  in  industry  on  average  one  year,  four 
months,  fifteen  days.  Advice  and  supervision  through 
follow-up  work  has  been  provided  for  them. 

Seven  cases  had  to  be  eliminated  from  complete 
records  for  such  reasons  as  returned  to  school,  etc. 

Nine  cases  had  to  be  eliminated  from  complete 
records  because  the  family  had  moved  so  often  that 
no  means  were  left  whereby  they  might  be  traced. 

Four  children  had  returned  to  the  grade  school  or  busi- 
ness college. 

f 18  factory. 

| 16  store. 

46  at  work . . \ 6 retail  store. 

4 skilled  trades. 

[ 2 miscellaneous. 


Age  at  time  of  entering  industry. 

1 under  fourteen. 

42  under  sixteen. 

2 over  sixteen. 

5 omitted. 

Cause  of  leaving  school. 

a.  Economic  pressure,  9. 

b.  In  poor  circumstances  and  backward,  11. 

c.  Disliked  school,  19. 

d.  Omitted,  11. 

Shift. 


Of  the  50  in  industry 

a.  2 have  retained  original  positions,  1 of  these  has 

been  promoted. 

b.  6 omitted. 

14  children  have  shifted  once. 

13  children  have  shifted  twice. 


11 


8 children  have  shifted  three  times. 

3 children  have  shifted  four  times. 

2 children  have  shifted  five  times. 

1 child  has  shifted  six  times. 

1 child  has  shifted  seven  times, 
c.  42  children  have  shifted  99  times. 

8.  Weekly  wage. 

32  complete  wage  schedules  of  shifters. 

(1)  Ref.  7 a.  Increase  in  wage  of  child  promoted, 
$1.00;  with  final  wage  of  $4.00. 

(2)  Forty-two  children  who  have  shifted.  No  child’s 

wage  had  decreased.  4 showed  no  increase. 
Average  wage,  $3.66.  28  increased.  Average  in- 

crease, $2.14.  Average  final  wage,  $5.66. 

9.  Time  lost  in  idleness  between  positions. 

Among  these  50  children,  out  in  industry  one  year, 
four  months  and  fifteen  days,  twenty-six  instances  of 
idleness  for  a period  of  two  weeks  to  a maximum 
period  of  nine  months. 

10.  Cases  of  non-employment. 

Five  children  found  out  of  positions.  Three  re- 
ported to  the  State  Board.  The  other  two  were  over 
the  age  limit.  Successful  efforts  were  made  on  the 
part  of  the  vocational  worker  to  make  these  two  re- 
enter industry. 

Group  IV.  Sixty-five  children,  Districts  A and  B. 

1.  Enumeration. 

36  boys,  29  girls;  Total,  65. 

90%  from  District  A. 

10%  from  District  B. 

2.  Nativity. 


11  Foreign ■{  1 

54  American.  | 1 

u 

All  original  and  follow-up  cases. 

This  group  of  children  had  been  in  industry  on  an 
average  of  three  months  by  the  time  of  the  last  fol- 
low-up visit.  (1) 

3.  Result  of  vocational  conference. 

11  returned  to  school. 

4 entered  special  schools. 

49  entered  industry. 

1 omitted. 

Direct  placement  cases,  2. 


(1)  One  section  of  this  group  was  analyzed  from  the  last  follow-up 
visit  August  1.  1913,  the  other  section  November  1,  1913. 


in  Russia, 
in  Germany, 
in  England, 
in  Italy, 
in  Poland. 


♦ 


4.  Age  at  the  time  of  the  first  conference. 

0 under  fourteen. 

50  under  sixteen. 

13  over  sixteen. 

2 omitted. 

5.  Reason  for  leaving  school  (48  entering  industry  con- 

sidered). 

a.  Economic  pressure,  9. 

b.  In  poor  circumstances  and  backward,  9. 

c.  Disliked  school,  30. 

6.  Shift. 

Of  the  11  returned  to  school,  none  had  left  by  No- 
vember 1,  1913. 

Of  the  4 entering  special  schools  none  had  left  by 
November  1,  1913. 

Of  the  49  taking  up  some  form  of  work, 

a.  13  are  working  for  their  parents  either  jn  the  home 

or  learning  a trade.  (1) 

b.  1 is  ill. 

c.  31  have  retained  their  original  positions.  (2) 

d.  4 have  shifted  once.  (2) 

1 omitted. 

7.  Weekly  wage. 

(1)  Thirty-one  children  retaining  original  positions. 
Average  wage,  $5.65. 

(2)  Four  who  have  shifted.  Decrease.  One  child’s 
wage  has  decreased  50  cents,  present  wage  $4.50 
plus  living  expenses,  which  in  the  end  amounts 
to  more  than  original  wage.  (3) 

Increase.  Three  have  received  an  increase,  one  hav- 
ing been  promoted  in  second  position. 

One  child’s  wage  in  question. 

8.  Cases  of  non-employment. 

3 cases,  2 reported. 

I— PROBLEM  OF  VOCATIONAL  GUIDANCE: 

a — 57%  of  these  children  leave  school  at  fourteen. 
43%  of  these  children  leave  school  between  the 
ages  of  fifteen  and  eighteen. 


(1)  Trades  represented:  domestic  service,  gardening,  plumbing,  tin- 

ning and  carpenter’s  trade. 

(2)  Factory,  19;  Department  store,  7;  Retail  store,  4;  Miscellaneous, 
5;  Total,  35. 

(3)  Girl  couldn’t  get  certificate.  Illegally  employed  in  a metal  fac- 
tory. Needed  employment  because  of  extreme  poverty.  Vocational  worker 
shifted  her  to  domestic  service,  an  uncertified  employment,  at  a lower 
wage. 


13 


1> — 64%  of  them  leave,  having  completed  only  the 
6th  or  7th  grade. 

c — They  begin  to  withdraw  from  the  3rd  grade. 

d — Since  the  normal  grade  for  a child  of  fourteen 
is  the  eighth  or  ninth,  the  majority  of  these 
children  are  distinctly  retarded.  (1) 

e — 84%  of  them  have  not  a record  of  scholarship 
above  passable  even  in  the  low  grade  they  have 
completed.  (2) 

f — 16%  leave  school  because  they  are  restless  or  dis- 
couraged in  school  and  want  to  get  to  work. 

20%  leave  school  because  they  are  in  poor  cir- 
cumstances and  backward. 

26%  leave  because  of  economic  pressure.  (3) 

g — In  the  foreign  districts  the  problem  is  equally 
divided  between  the  boys  and  the  girls. 

In  the  middle  class  districts  the  problem  is  more 
specifically  the  boys’,  as  the  people  of  that 
class  try  to  protect  their  girls  by  keeping  them 
longer  in  school.  (4) 

These  restless,  half-educated  children,  quite  uncon- 
scious of  w^hat  education  or  industry  means  to  them,  ac- 
cept the  first  position  offered  and  then  float  along  with 
the  tide.  Yet  a child  of  fourteen  to  sixteen  is  at  one  of 
the  most  critical  periods  of  his  mental  and  physical  de- 
velopment. 

II— HOW  VOCATIONAL  GUIDANCE  MAY 

SOLVE  THIS  PROBLEM  IN  HARTFORD: 

1 Executive  work. 

2 Recommendations. 

1 Executive  work. 


(1)  Among  145  children  in  groups  II,  III,  IV,  only  8%  were  retarded 
because  of  having  come  here  recently  from  another  country. 

(2)  Ref.  pages  8 and  9,  group  I. 

(3)  Ref.  pages  10  to  15,  groups  II,  III,  IV. 

(4)  Ref.  page  8,  group  I.  ^ 


14 


A — Theory  for  Executive  Work 

(1)  The  real  meaning  of  education  and  industry 

should  be  made  clear  to  the  child  before  he 
leaves  school. 

If  his  special  difficulty  is  due  to  the  fact  that  he 
is  misplaced  in  the  school  system,  it  is  the 
function  of  the  vocational  worker  to  readjust 
the  case  as  far  as  the  school  system  will  allow. 

(2)  If,  after  conference,  the  child  still  wishes  to 

leave  school,  the  position  he  takes  up  should 
be  supervised  immediately.  (1)  Special  con- 
sideration should  be  given  in  this  investigation 
to  his  health  and  special  aptitudes.  (2) 

(3)  Shift  should  be  restricted  as  much  as  possible 

unless  it  means  advancement  for  the  worker. 

(4)  Idleness  between  positions  should  be  strictly 

prohibited  by  a thorough,  searching  enforce- 
ment of  the  employment  certificate  law. 

(5)  With  increasing  maturity  study  outside  of  work- 

ing hours  should  be  encouraged  until  educa- 
tion offers  us  a better  substitute. 

(6)  Wholesome  recreation  should  be  stimulated  for 

those  who  do  not  seek  it  on  their  own  initia- 
tive. 


(1)  This  supervision  may  be  carried  on  through  direct  placement  or  by 
an  investigation  after  the  child  has  considered  the  position. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  in  Hartford  to  establish  a placement  bureau 
under  the  direction  of  the  schools,  although  some  placing  has  been  done. 
Supervision  in  a small  city  may  be  carried  on  in  other  ways. 

Yet  it  is  hoped  as  the  work  develops  that  the  scattered  placement 
work  done  by  social  service  organizations  and  the  Vocational  Guidance 
Committee  may  soon  be  co-ordinated  into  a local  Juvenile  Employment 
Bureau  under  suitable  direction. 

(2)  Dr.  George  Dawson  has  carried  on  some  very  interesting  psycho- 
logical tests  of  children  in  the  Henry  Barnard  School.  The  results  of 
these  examinations  have  been  at  the  disposal  of  the  vocational  worker  and 
have  proved  very  helpful  in  defining  the  capacity,  physically  and  mentally, 
of  certain  children. 


15 


B — TENTATIVE  Program  for  Executive  Work 

(1)  Co-operation  with  all  the  schools  in  the  city.  (1) 
a — Method  in  Districts  A and  B.  (2) 

Children  who  wish  certificates  for  the  coming  week 
may  report  to  the  room  teacher  on  Monday.  These 
names  at  the  end  of  the  day  are  to  be  given  to  the  secre- 
tary of  the  school  and  transferred  through  her  to  the 
vocational  worker  Monday  afternoon  or  Tuesday  morn- 
ing- 

At  the  following  times  each  week  the  vocational 
worker  will  meet  all  the  children  passing  out  into  industry 
in  the  specified  schools. 

District  A. 

School  a — 9.00  A.  M.  Tuesday.  (3) 

School  b — 11.00  A.  M.  Tuesday. 

School  c — 1.15  P.  M.  Tuesday. 

School  d — 3.15  P.  M.  Tuesday. 

District  B. 

9 A.  M.  Wednesday.  (3)  (4) 
b — Conference  with  the  child.  (5) 

Data:  Name,  address,  date  of  conference, 

mother  and  father  living,  father’s  occupation, 
number  and  ages  of  children  in  the  family, 
reason  for  leaving  school. 


(1)  The  above  method  of  co-operation,  defining  a somewhat  different 

mode  of  procedure  for  Districts  A and  B from  that  used  in  Districts  X 
(see  pages  20-1  B (1)  e),  seemed  the  most  hopeful  way  for  one  worker  to 
meet  the  largest  local  need.  Intensive  work  has  been  going  on  for  over 
a year  in  Districts  A and  B.  Although  pressure  was  brought  to  bear  to 
extend  the  interests  of  the  one  worker  beyond  these  two  districts,  it 
seemed  unfortunate  for  her  to  lose  the  intensely  valuable  personal  contact 
with  the  teachers  and  principals  in  these  districts.  The  method  defined 
in  B (1)  a is  undoubtedly  the  ideal  one.  As  more  workers  come  into 
the  field,  it  is  hoped  that  the  more  remote  method  suggested  for  District 
X may  be  revised  in  favor  of  personal  contact  between  the  teacher  and 
vocational  worker  in  every  case,  promoting  a mutual  'understanding  and 
interest  in.  the  child  that  is  invaluable  in  this  work. 

(2)  Districts  A and  B,  including  the  parochial  schools,  cover  60% 

of  the  problem  of  the  working  child  in  the  city. 

(3)  In  District  A,  school  a,  and  in  District  B an  interview  with  the 

room  teacher  before  the  school  session  is  necessary. 

(4)  If  the  work  of  District  A on  any  week  does  not  occupy  all  Tues- 

day, District  B may  be  handled  on  Tuesday. 

. (5)  This  conference  with  the  child  is  short  and  simple,  with  a slight 
variation  in  individual  cases  from  the  outline  given  above. 


16 


Description  of  the  child:  Appearance,  personality, 
health  (1),  school  studies  most  and  least  pro- 
ficient in,  industrial  ambition,  evidences  of 
definite  aptitude. 

Result  of  Conference : 

Returned  to  school. 

Returned  to  special  school. 

Placed  in  industry. 

Entered  industry  by  personal  application,  in- 
dustry immediately  investigated  by  vocational 
worker. 

c — Visit  to  home:  (2) 

Locality. 

Number  of  rooms. 

Condition  of  apartments. 

d — Follow-up  visits: 

Date  of  follow-up  visit,  changes  of  employment 
since  last  visit,  reason  for  each  change, 
wages  in  each  position,  periods  of  idleness 
between  visits. 

Present  position : firm,  address,  business,  kind 

of  work,  advancement,  hours  of  labor,  posi- 
tion at  work,  wage  (tp.),  amount  contributed 
to  the  home,  regularity  of  work,  child’s  atti- 
tude toward  employment,  foremen  and  work- 
ers, educational  work,  recreation,  evidences 
of  health,  efficiency  report  from  employer  or 
school. 

e — Method  in  Districts.  (3) 

When  a child  asks  for  a transcript,  the  principal 
encloses  card  in  envelope  directed  to  voca- 
tional worker. 


(1)  Health  certificates  given  either  through  a doctor’s  examinations 
or  a test  by  the  psychologist  in  the  laboratory,  invaluable  to  the  purposes 
of  this  work  if  the  school  machinery  permits. 

(2)  A special  card  is  made  out  in  the  case  of  actual  economic  pressure. 

(3)  District  X consists  of  seven  districts,  covering  40%  of  the  work- 
ing children  between  fourteen  and  sixteen  in  the  city. 


17 


Material  on  card : District,  name  of  child,  par- 

ent’s address,  date  of  entering  district,  school 
transferred  from,  date  of  request  for  tran- 
script, date  granted,  place  of  birth,  date  of 
birth,  yearly  average  in  scholarship  and  de- 
portment in  each  grade,  time  lost  (weeks) 
each  year,  studies  least  and  most  proficient  in. 

Remarks: .. - 

These  cards  filed  in  order  of  receipt  and  cases 
looked  up  as  soon  as  pressure  of  work  will 
permit. 

Conference  with  child  in  school  or  home:  Place- 
ment or  advice.  Follow-up  work.  (1) 
Report  back  to  principal. 

II— 2 RECOMMENDATIONS 

Vocational  Guidance,  taking  a sympathetic  interest 
in  the  individual  as  a social  unit,  brings  the  public  school 
system  directly  into  the  field  of  social  service.  It  co- 
ordinates the  home,  the  school  and  the  industry  about  the 
life  of  the  child.  An  innovation  of  this  sort  to  be  effec- 
tive should  receive  direct  support  from  the  institutions 
represented,  social  service,  education  and  industry. 

(1)  Child  Labor  Legislation. 

The  only  effective  way  to  standardize  industry  ac- 
cording to  the  ideas  which  education  holds  for  the  in- 
dividual is  through  child  labor  legislation.  Hartford 
industries  are  on  the  whole  of  a high  grade,  yet  a few 
of  them  employ  children  under  sixteen  under  unfavorable 
conditions. 

a — Children  under  sixteen  ought  to  be  excluded  from 
tobacco  shops.  (2) 


(1)  The  burden  of  follow-up  work  is  automatically  lightened  by 
eliminating  the  majority  of  cases  of  children  who  have  passed  their  six- 
teenth year.  Special  cases  are  still  retained  for  consideration  even  after 
the  child  has  passed  his  sixteenth  year. 

(2)  Tobacco  shops  in  Hartford  are  already  on  their  own  initiative 
excluding  children  under  16. 


13 


b — Material  in  rag  shops  ought  to  be  sterilized  before 
they  are  allowed  to  touch  it. 
c — Hours  in  mercantile  establishments  ought  to  be 
made  still  shorter  and  night  work  entirely  pro- 
hibited for  children. 

d — Selling  newspapers  as  a full-time  occupation  be- 
tween 14  and  16  ought  to  be  prohibited  or  the 
boys  forced  to  attend  a part-time  school.  (1) 
e — The  messenger  service  ought  to  be  regulated  in 
the  line  of  advanced  legislation, 
f — The  present  certificate  law,  providing  for  certi- 
fication and  general  supervision,  has  been  help- 
ful. Yet  the  problem  is  so  large  that  such  a 
law  is  naturally  rather  difficult  to  enforce.  (2) 
Thorough-going  enforcement  will  probably  de- 
pend on  an  increased  number  of  agents  for  this 
special  purpose  and  the  constantly  increasing 
accuracy  and  promptness  of  records  from  the 
school  and  industry  to  the  central  authority. 

Domestic  service  and  outdoor  work  are  not  certi- 
fied. To  gain  a fair  estimate  of  the  working 
child's  problem  it  would  seem  necessary  to  re- 
tain at  the  State  Board  record  of  these  occu- 
pations even  if  no  examination  were  necessary 
for  such  employment. 

Certain  portions  of  the  school  system  are  going  to  be 
readjusted  in  order  to  retain  children  longer  in  school.  (3) 
Vocational  scholarships  will  be  established.  (4)  Industry 
is  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  child  labor  is  a bad  in- 
vestment on  the  whole  and  therefore  is  tending  to  raise  the 


(1)  Selling  newspapers  as  a full-time  occupation  does  not  employ  a 
boy  but  a certain  number  of  hours  a day.  A boy,  inclined  to  be  delin- 

* quent,  may  sell  papers  as  many  hours  a day  as  he  pleases  and  loaf  around 

the  street  the  rest  of  the  day  and  still  act  in  accordance  with  the  present 
provisions  of  the  law. 

(2)  In  as  far  as  it  was  possible  the  State  Board  of  Education  has 
been  most  conscientious  in  enforcing  the  law  in  Hartford.  In  spite  of  its 
vigilance  some  important  cases  have  slipped  by. 

> (3)  Ref.  page  23  (2)  a-f. 

(4)  Page  23  (3)  a. 


19 


age  limit  of  acceptance  to  sixteen.  Considering  these 
innovations,  the  “ forward  look’'  may  wisely  be  toward 
raising  the  age  limit  of  this  law  to  fifteen  instead  of  four- 
teen and  extending  the  State  Board’s  supervision  up  to 
seventeen  years  of  age.  (1) 

(2)  Education. 

Direct  co-operation  must  be  stimulated  between  edu- 
cation and  industry  in  favor  of  the  fourteen  to  sixteen 
year  old  worker  in  the  form  of  vocational  education. 

a — Part  time  schools  for  employed  minors  should  be 
established  and  attendance  made  compulsory  by 
law. 

b — Pre-vocational  work,  preferably  concentrated  into 
a single  plant,  should  be  undertaken.  (2) 
c — Backward  children  from  the  fourth  grade  on, 
who  do  not  seem  to  respond  to  the  regular  ac- 
ademic instruction,  should  be  grouped  into 
special  classes,  wherein  the  instruction  in  its 
predominately  objective  quality,  may  be  more 
suited  to  their  special  needs.  (3) 
d — All  mental  defectives  should  be  taken  out  of  the 
regular  grades  and  placed  in  a special  school, 
wherein  the  training  will  fit  them  for  some 
form  of  manual  efficiency.  (4) 


(1)  In  many  cases  that  have  come  to  the  vocational  worker’s  atten- 
tion supervision  between  the  a'ges  of  sixteen  and  seventeen  would  have 
been  more  valuable  than  between  fourteen  and  fifteen. 

Such  a change  in  the  law  should  come  only  after  the  suggested  in- 
novations have  been  effected. 

(2)  With  the  development  of  the  experimental  continuation  school,  a 

certain  equipment  for  trade  instruction  will  be  gathered  together  in  a 
single  school  which  in  Hartford  happens  to  be  the  High  School.  Without 
a duplication  in  plant  pre-vocational  classes  might  be  started  in  such  a 
school.  These  classes  will  meet  the  needs  of  the  following  groups:  (a) 

Children  who  are  going  to  enter  industry  early  and  would  profit  by  some 
trade  instruction  before  they  leave  school,  (b)  Children  who  have  been  in 
backward  classes  and  have  gone  as  far  as  instruction  there  will  allow  and 
are  so  financially  situated  that  they  may  remain  in  school  longer,  (c) 
Children  who  are  shifting  in  industry  and  might  return  to  school  if  some 
kind  of  trade  work  were  provided  for  them. 

(3)  An  interesting  experiment  in  this  special  form  of  education  is 
being  carried  on  at  the  Henry  Barnard  .School  in  Hartford. 

(4)  The  local  School  Board  has  under  consideration  the  establishment 
of  such  a school. 


20 


I 


e — Ungraded  classes  should  be  started.  They  would 
meet  the  needs  of  the  children  who  drop  out 
of  school  because  they  are  backward  in  one  or 
more  studies,  and  of  those  children  who  have 
been  in  industry  for  some  months  and  wish  to 
return  to  school  without  repeating  the  work 
of  their  previous  grade.  (1) 
f — As  early  as  the  6th  grade  the  children’s  interest 
in  the  industrial  environment  and  their  own 
aptitudes  should  be  stimulated  by  vocational 
discussions,  which  may  merely  be  informal  talks 
between  the  teacher  and  her  pupils  in  the  class 
room. 

(3)  Social  Service. 

a — Social  service  organizations  should  demonstrate 
the  value  of  vocational  scholarships  to  be  given 
to  poor  children  with  bright  minds  who  would 
profit  by  longer  training  in  the  grades  or  in 
special  schools. 

b — The  opportunities  for  recreation  for  the  working 
child,  especially  during  the  winter  months, 
should  be  increased.  Excellent  as  is  the  work 
of  private  organizations  along  this  line,  they 
have  neither  the  material  nor  the  capacity  to 
meet  the  larger  needs  of  the  situation.  The 
two  immediate  needs  that  this  study  has  dis- 
closed are  the  use  of  the  school  buildings  in 
the  crowded  sections  of  the  city  as  social 
centres  (2)  and  the  establishment  of  a recrea- 
tive centre  under  city  control  that  shall  combat 
.the.  .serious diifTuence  of  the  cheap  dance  hall. 


' V ocational  Guidance  irrTfaftf ord  has  up  to  the  pres- 

ent concerned  itself  only  with  the  fourteen  to  sixteen 


(1)  Such  a class  would  permit  the  return  to  school  of  a number  of 
children  for  whom  up  to  the  present  no  provision  has  been  made. 

(2)  In  the  Henry  Barnard  School  a step  has  been  taken  toward  the 
use  of  the  school  building-  as  a social  centre.  The  girls  at  present  in 
school  in  the  7th,  8th  and  9th  grades  have  formed  a club  that  is  to  meet 
in  the  evenings  in  the  school. 


21 


year  old  worker.  After  studying  the  problem  of  these 
children,  it  tried  to  provide  wise,  practical  supervision 
for  them  and  sometimes  material  assistance  in  obtaining 
positions.  When  education,  social  service  and  industry 
have  readjusted  their  forces  in  order  to  care  more  effec- 
tively for  these  children,  the  heaviest  burden  of  super- 
vision will  be  lifted  from  the  shoulders  of  the  vocational 
counsellor.  Vocational  Guidance  from  that  time  on  will 
probably  take  two  lines  of  development. 

(1)  As  a piece  of  educational  work  it  is  primarily 
interested  in  the  individual  child.  Therefore,  it  may  still 
provide  guidance  for  children  through  the  labyrinth 
of  vocational  and  academic  courses  so  their  educational 
and  vocational  life  may  be  as  nearly  as  possible  an  ex- 
pression of  their  own  personalities. 

(2)  It  may  concern  itself  with  more  pretentious  and 
scientific  investigation  of  the  occupations  open  to  minors 
of  a more  advanced  age  with  the  intention  of  providing 
guidance  for  the  older  workers. 

We  hope  that  this  work  at  present  and  in  the  future 
by  using  and  helping  to  develop  the  city’s  resources,  will 
guide  the  working  child  so  that  he  may  experience  a 
normal  and  healthful  growth  to  the  end  that  he  may  be- 
come a self-sustaining  wage  earner  and  a useful  citizen. 


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22 


